Mission Dolores State Historic Site facts for kids
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Mission Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Ais Site
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Mission Dolores State Historic Site
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 Mission Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Ais Site
Location in Texas
Mission Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de los Ais Site
Location in the United States
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| Location | 701 S. Broadway St., San Augustine, Texas |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | 1722 |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001475 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 16, 1977 |
The Mission Dolores State Historic Site is a special place in San Augustine County, Texas. It protects the spot where an old Spanish mission, called Mission Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de los Ais, once stood. This mission was built by Franciscan priests in 1721.
The site is about 36 acres big and includes a 9-acre archaeological site. It's located on the original El Camino Real de los Tejas trail, an old road used by the Spanish. Today, you won't see any old mission buildings above ground. But archaeologists have found many clues underground that confirm where the mission was.
You can find the site about half a mile south of San Augustine. It's in the beautiful Piney Woods area of East Texas. The Texas Historical Commission takes care of the site. It has a campground, a museum, a gift shop, and hiking trails for visitors to explore.
Contents
What Was Mission Dolores?
Why Missions Were Built
The mission was first started in 1717 by a priest named Father Antonio Margil. Spain wanted to make sure they controlled Spanish Texas. So, they built missions and forts (called presidios) along the border with French Louisiana. These missions were meant to teach the native people about the Christian religion. They also helped Spain claim the land.
Mission Dolores was one of six missions built in East Texas. It was located near a stream called Ayish Bayou. A small group of priests and soldiers lived there. Their main goal was to convert the native Ais Indians to Roman Catholicism.
Mission Challenges and Closures
In 1719, there were fights between the French and Spanish. Because of this, the missions in East Texas were closed. Father Margil and other missionaries moved to San Antonio. There, Father Margil started a new mission called Mission San José (Texas).
In 1721, the Spanish came back to East Texas. Mission Dolores was rebuilt a short distance from its first spot. This second location is the one protected at the Mission Dolores State Historic Site today. The mission stayed open from 1721 until 1773. Then, the East Texas missions were closed again.
Even though it was open for 52 years, Mission Dolores wasn't very successful. The Ais people did not live at the mission. They were also not very interested in the new religion. The missionaries baptized only about 30 native people in 52 years. Many of these baptisms happened when people were dying. This made some Ais people think that baptism water brought death.
Life at the Mission
Only a few Europeans lived at Mission Dolores during its 52 years. Usually, one or two priests lived there. They were joined by two soldiers and their families. The mission was very far from the Spanish government in Mexico City. Because of this, the missionaries often traded goods illegally with French traders. These French traders were closer, in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
The mission was finally left empty in 1773. Later, in the early 1800s, American settlers started moving into the area. This led to the creation of the town of San Augustine, Texas. The town grew up about half a mile from where the mission used to be. Old newspapers show that settlers knew there was a mission south of town on "Mission Hill." But by then, there were no buildings left. The land stayed privately owned for many years. Many homes were built on it through the 1800s and early 1900s.
Discovering the Mission Site
Archaeological Digs
Professional archaeological digs began in the 1970s. The goal was to find the exact spot of Mission Dolores. Dr. Kathleen Gilmore led the first dig, but her findings weren't clear. Later, Dr. James Corbin from Stephen F. Austin State University led more digs. He finally found scientific proof of where Mission Dolores was located.
Sadly, when Highway 147 was built, it destroyed about half of the site. But Dr. Corbin was still able to find important things. He found old trash piles (middens), wells, and holes where posts once stood. He also found many artifacts from the 1700s.
Archaeological work has continued since then. New discoveries suggest the mission area might be bigger than first thought. Modern technology has also confirmed that a part of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail is still on the property. This old trail would have run right through the mission area.
Protecting Mission Dolores
A State Historic Site
People who owned the land and community members helped protect the Mission Dolores site for many years. In the late 1990s, the City of San Augustine received money. They used it to build a museum, a campground, and an archaeology lab at the site.
In 2016, the City of San Augustine asked the Texas Historical Commission to take over the site. The Commission agreed! Mission Dolores became the 21st State Historic Site. It was also the first Spanish Colonial site managed by the Texas Historical Commission.
Future plans for the site include making the museum exhibits better and adding new signs on the trails. There's also a chance that a historically accurate mission building might be built. Educational programs at the site help people learn more about the mission's history and other interesting things about East Texas.
See also
In Spanish: Misión San Francisco de Asís para niños
